Recovery of pure hydrogen



Patented Aug. 2, 1932 I I LUNITED s'rATas PATENT OFFICE GERHARD BITTER, 0F OGG-ERSHEIM, AND EDWIN UFER, OF NEUROESSEN, GERMANY, ASSIGNORS, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO STANDARD-I G. COMPANY, OF LIJH'DEN, NEW JERSEY, A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE RECOVERY PURE HYDROGEN No Drawing. Application filed May 14, 1928, Serial No. 277,781, and in Germany May 27, 1927.

We have found that substantially pure hydrogen can be recovered from gaseous mixtures rich in hydrogen, such for example as hydrogen containing methane, by washing the sald gaseous mixture with a low boiling .petroleum distillate, in particular the lower fractions thereof, usually fractions boiling between about 20 and 150 C. and preferably such boiling between 20 and 100 C. at temperatures below 60 C. but above the freezing points of these solvents, and pref-.

erably underpressureshigher than atmospheric. If the washing agent be sprayed into the gas by means of suitable appliances, the

" greatly increased surface presented enables the impurities to be extracted in a far shorter period of contact between the gas and the absorbent liquid, since the washing agent absorbs much more rapidly; accordingly, the solvent can rapidly be regenerated and the whole process carried out with a smaller amount thereof.

The following example will further illus- (mate the nature of the said invention which however is not limited thereto.

Example A low boiling petroleum distillate boiling between 20 and 150 G. is atomized, in a scrubber by means of va pressure which is a few atmospheres higher than that prevailmg in the scrubber itself. Hydrogen contaming about 8 per cent of methane, together.

rich in hydrogen, which comprises washing I the said gaseous mixture with a petroleum distillate boiling between about 20'and 150 C. and preferably between about 20 .and

but above the freezing oint of the solvent.

In testimony whereo with other impurities,-is introduced, under a pressure of 50 atmospheres and at a temperature of 80 C. on the coun'terflow principle into the scrubber contain'ingthe quid mist. The recovered hydrogen is practically pure.

What we claim is 1. A process for the recovery of substantially pure hydrogen from gaseous mixtures rich in hydrogen, which comprises w'ashing the said gaseous mixture with a low-boiling petroleum distillate at a temperature of be-' C. but above the freezing point of the solvent. 2. A process for the'recovery of substan tially pure hydrogen from gaseous mixtures rich in hydrogen, which comprises washing 0. at a temperature 'of below 60 C.

we have hereunto sis- 

